title: Modulation of epithelial innate immunity by autocrine production of nitric oxide.
abstract: Mechanisms of innate immunity especially with relevance to epithelial tissue, are currently the focus of intense research, as epithelial immunity greatly impacts on health and disease. However, many findings regarding innate immunity signalling pathways in vertebrates stems from research using the genetic model Drosophila melanogaster. Here we discuss the central importance of epithelial tissues in innate immunity in Drosophila; the modulation of the Imd pathway via autocrine production of nitric oxide (NO); and the central importance of the Malpighian (renal) tubule in immune function of the whole animal.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Integrative and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Anderson Complex, 56 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, UK. s.a.davies@bio.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: Shireen-Anne
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: Julian A T
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dow
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000502:physiology; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology*; D008317:Malpighian Tubules / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase